FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The opposition refers to international reports and concrete cases, raising concerns about corruption, links to organized crime and weaknesses in integrity verification.
The Democratic Party Parliamentary Group has filed a request for urgent interpellation with the Minister of Interior, Besfort Lamallari, raising concerns about the situation in the State Police and the impact of corruption in this institution.
According to the official document addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, the request is based on Article 80 of the Constitution and Article 97 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. The opposition refers to the findings of the European Commission's Enlargement Report for Albania for 2025.
The report notes that, despite efforts, the State Police remains “exposed to corruption.” Also, according to the document, the process of transitional and periodic evaluation of police officers, known as “police vetting,” as well as integrity verification, have had limited impact.
The report also mentions suspected cases of intimidation and threats against journalists, including investigative journalists, where, according to the document, in some cases senior state officials or police officers have also been involved.
The DP Parliamentary Group describes this situation as worrying, emphasizing that even after legal changes and integrity verification processes, State Police structures continue to remain vulnerable to corruption and the influence of criminal actors.
Meanwhile, according to the document filed by the opposition, the US State Department's report on narcotics also highlights the role of Albanian criminal groups in international drug markets and possible connections with state structures.
The request also mentions concrete developments that, according to the opposition, illustrate the problem:
Investigations based on Sky EÇ app communications, which have implicated former senior police officials;
Accusations against former leaders such as Oltion Bistri and Henerigert Mitri for leaking information and facilitating criminal activities;
The murder of Gilmand Dani near Rinas Airport and the injury of an AMP employee, which according to the document raises questions about security filters;
Arrest of two police officers for falsifying documents related to employment in supervisory structures.
The document also mentions data according to which around 70 police officers were under investigation for links to organized crime by the end of 2023, while the number of arrests of officers increased from 102 cases in 2023 to 163 in 2024.
According to the opposition, these developments point to structural problems in the police, including:
insufficient background checks of candidates;
influence of powerful individuals on appointments;
lowering of recruitment standards;
the existence of a “culture of silence” within institutions (page 4).
The document emphasizes that these factors have significantly damaged public trust in the State Police and increased the risk to national security.
The request poses several specific questions to the minister, including:
How many police officers were investigated, arrested, or dismissed for involvement in crime during 2023–2026?
What are the criteria for appointments to management levels?
Has an audit of appointment procedures been conducted and what are the results?
What measures have been taken to prevent criminal infiltration of the police?
How many cases of operations being uncovered have been identified and how have they been handled?
What are the concrete results of the integrity verification process? (page 5)
DP MPs demand that the interpellation be held at the nearest plenary session and included in the agenda as soon as possible.
Lini një Përgjigje